Patent GB-529647-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for recording on statistical record cards
Filed: 1939-05-23
Abstract: 529,647. Punching statistical record cards. DEUTSCHE HOLLERITH MASCHINEN GES. May 23, 1939, No. 15301. Convention date, May 24, 1938. [Class 31 (ii)] A perforating 'machine for producing statistical machine record cards having two or more series or decks of columns of perforations on the same card has a set of punches adjustable transversely to the direction of movement of the card carriage so that the punches may be brought to register with any selected one of the card decks. Fig. 3 shows a card with two such decks one above another, each deck having written or printed thereon the characters to be punched in coded form in the columns above them ; these written &c. characters are visible to the operator whilst the perforations are being punched. The punches 30, six in number, are carried in a bracket 28 secured to a slide 26 and extending cantilever fashion above the front portion of the slide; the slide 26 has a die plate 27 co-operating with the punches and the forward end of the bracket 28 has a stripper plate 28a and an upper plate 29 for guiding the punches. The latter are actuated for a punching operation by interposer slides 39, Fig. 10, mounted in a plate 34 oscillating on a pivot 33 and operated by an electro-magnet 12 and armature 20 pivoted on a shaft 19 and connected by a link 36 and universal joint 35 to the plate 34. For moving the punches into position over one or other of the card decks, that is in a direction transverse to the card carriage intermittent feed, the slide 26 is provided with a rack 25, Fig. 8, engaged by a toothed sector 24 fast on the shaft 19 provided with an operating arm 23. For punching any particular perforation code column the necessary interposer slides 39, Fig. 10, are moved to the left over the punches 20 by means of Bowden wires 40 connected to bell-crank levers 53, Fig. 4, which engage notches in selector bars 52, six in number, having saw teeth adapted to be struck by the pivoted key-levers 59, depression of any one of which thus moves one or more of the six bars 52 to the left and the corresponding . interposer slides 39, Fig 10, over the punches 30. Movement of a bar or bars 52 to the left actuates, by means of a cross pin 78, Fig. 4, a pivoted yoke 77 having a projecting arm 82 carrying a pivoted contact lever 81 adapted to raise a pivoted lever 86, Fig. 11, for lifting a contact 85 which closes the circuit of the magnet 12 thus operating the armature 20, link 36 and plate 34 and effecting the punching. The swing- ing of the armature 20 raises a plate 87, Fig. 11, and link 88 which rocks a lever 90 bringing the nose 87 of this lever into contact with an arm on the lever 81 moving its notched end away from the lever 86 allowing the latter to fall and the contact 85 to open. The movement of the armature 20 also controls escapement mechanism permitting the stepwise movement of the card carriage 115, Fig. 6, to the left after each punching operation under the influence of a barrel spring 132, Fig. 7, which is tensioned by the engagement of a rack bar 123 on the card carriage with teeth on the spring barrel 133 when the card carriage is moved over to the right by thumb pressure on the projection 120 before starting the punching. As shown in Fig. 13, the armature 20 actuates through a spring 152 a lever 153 engaging a driving lever 104 mounted on a pivot .147, Fig. 7, carried by a member 146 rockable on a fixed stud 148 and adjustable against a spring 149 by a stop screw 150. Lever 104 carries a pin 141<SP>1</SP> engaging a slot in a holding dog 141 and another pin 151 engaging a slot in an escapement pawl 142 and is influenced by a spring 155 to normally hold the dog 141 disengaged from and the pawl 142 engaged with ratchet teeth on an escapement bar 124. Operation of the armature thus rocks the lever 104 against its spring 155 moving dog 141 into engagement with the escapement bar 124 and releasing pawl 142 therefrom. Whilst thus released the pawl 142 which is loose on its pivot is pulled slightly forward by its spring 156 in readiness to engage the next tooth of the bar so that when the magnet is de-energized and the lever 153 releases the lever 104 the latter moves in a clockwise direction under the influence of its spring 155 thus lifting the dog 141 and lowering the pawl 142, the escapement bar and card carriage moving at the same time through the space of one tooth. When perforations are not required in certain columns of the card stepwise movement of the card carriage is effected independently of any punching operation by a space key carried by arms 92, Fig. 5, projecting from a sleeve 99 rotatable on a shaft 97, one of the arms 92 having connected thereto by a spring 105 a lever 100, Fig. 13, engaging the lever 104 which controls the card carriage intermittent feed. Continuous movement of the carriage to the left end of its stroke is effected by depressing a release key carried by arms 94 projecting from a sleeve 98 pinned to the shaft 97, Fig. 5, which shaft has fast thereon a bellcrank lever 103, Fig. 8, influenced by a spring 102 and connected by a spring 109 to a lever 107, Fig. 13, engaging an escapement release lever 108 pivoted on the pin 147 so that depression of the release key causes a lug 108<SP>1</SP> on lever 108 to rise and lift pawl 142 out of engagement with the escapement rack permitting barrel spring 132 to move the card carriage to the end of its stroke; the speed of this free movement of the carriage is controlled by a governor 139 driven by gearing and a second set of teeth on the rack. A latch 157 keeps the release lever 108 raised until the carriage reaches the end of its stroke even if the release key is allowed to rise.